Shortages in the Foodservice Supply Chain
Last updated on May 20th, 2022 at 02:41 pm
Within the past couple of months, you have probably encountered an increase in shipping delays and low product availabilities. This is due to global supply shortages, affected by the many seemingly endless and unprecedented events of 2021. Some of the most recent contributors are:
- COVID-19 closures
- Extreme weather across the globe
- Rapidly rising costs of freight
- Shipping container shortages
Due to these shortages and delays, raw material costs are rising to meet demand. These constraints are affecting all manufacturing processes and industries, and this issue doesn’t look to be going away anytime in 2021.
Do supply shortages affect foodservice equipment?
Unfortunately our industry is not immune to manufacturing and shipping delays. Many of the components to foodservice equipment are impacted by the low supply and high material cost. As a result, manufacturers are once again increasing their pricing to offset their manufacturing costs. The supply shortage is also causing extended lead times of equipment across the entire industry.
How to prepare for long waits
Shipping times have increased exponentially, with equipment that usually has a 2 week lead time now seeing closer to 10 weeks or longer. As supply shortages continues throughout the year, it’s important that you plan ahead for big equipment purchases. It’s also a good practice to assess your commercial kitchen often to catch small issues before they become big problems, and to limit the risk of emergency repairs and replacements. Check out the product maintenance section of our blog for helpful tips on caring for your equipment!
How can Burkett help?
We’ve changed how we buy inventory. Along with investing in even more of our typical stocking items, but we also are expanding our selection of in stock brands. If a specific model isn’t available, we can ensure that we always have quality alternatives to offer you.
As challenging as this has been for consumers and dealers alike, we strongly encourage you to reach out to our sales team for any help. The availability and lead times for equipment can change by the minute, so please confirm with our sales team that any lead time is the most up-to-date information. Don’t want to wait? We’ll try to find other options for you that fit your needs, timeline, and your budget!
Contact us today and let us know how we can help you navigate this challenging time!
